If you travel to Napa Valley looking for Cabernet Sauvignon, you’re going to find plenty of it. And pretty much regardless of how long your trip is you’re not going to get to taste all of it, or even most of it. What you need to do is set a more modest goal for a particular sub-set of Cabernet; that way at the very least you’ll have a fighting chance. Over the last few years I’ve become increasingly fond of good Mountain Cabernet. There are several renowned mountain regions within Napa and there is some great Cabernet to be found there. Often the depth and purity of fruit these wines showcase is nothing short of stunning. Spending a week hunting down as much Napa Valley Mountain Cab as you can find would be a great way to allocate some time. Last year I visited Smith-Madrone on Spring Mountain for the first time and I was knocked out. Their wines, their property and their personalities are all perfectly authentic examples of some of the very best of what Napa Valley has to offer. Today I’ll look at their current release of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Smith-Madrone 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced from fruit grown at their home vineyards in the Spring Mountain section of Napa Valley. Their vineyards are dry-farmed and the vines used for this wine have 34 years of age on them. In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), small amounts of Merlot (9%), and Cabernet Franc (9%) were also blended in. Barrel aging was accomplished over 22 months in American oak. The 2005 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon was bottled unfiltered and unfined. Just fewer than 1,500 cases of this vintage were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $45.
Red berry and bramble aromas fill the nose of this Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate is deep and layered with a bevy of flavors. Cherries (both red and black), bits of herb and earth are the primary characteristics that surfaced when I first sipped this wine, Minerals such as flint and hints of pencil lead emerge on the finish along with dark cocoa, espresso and continued earth. The 2005 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkably even-keeled, perfectly proportionate Cabernet Sauvignon. From start to finish it shows off rich, textured flavors and deep layers of fruit and spice that reward sipping over a long evening.
This wine from Stuart and Charles Smith is rather delicious now, particularly after an hour or so in the decanter. However it’s quite age-worthy and will improve under proper storage conditions for the next decade at minimum and drink well for another 5 or so after that. The bottom line is that the 2005 vintage of Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon in a tremendous example of why this particular grape and Napa Valley are synonymous. It’s also an exceptional value. In a valley filled with many lofty price tags, the cost of this wine is a steal for the quality you’re getting in the bottle relative to many other examples. The sticker may say $45 but the taste and quality of this wine says $75.
Malbec comes in all shapes and sizes. Some are incredibly fruit forward and others are more classically styled and structured. Today I’ll look at one that’s very reasonably priced from Bodega del Tupun, a Mendoza based producer. The family has their roots in Spain and has been making wines in Argentina under their own label since the mid 1990’s.
With summer almost over it’s time to get friends and family together for a few more BBQ’s before the weather turns cool. Large gatherings mean lots of mouths to feed and plenty of thirsts to quench. Historically a lot of jokes have been made about boxed wine. And for many years the commentary, criticism and humor were warranted. However in the last 5 years things have taken a pretty dramatic turn for the better. There are a number of producers now putting quality wine out in boxes. This is often referred to as the bag in the box. More often than not these are 3 Liter containers which equates to four standard size bottles. These wines generally sell for right around $20 give or take a couple of dollars based on brand and where you’re shopping. If you were purchasing these as stand alone bottles you could expect to pay somewhere from $6- $9 per bottle. In addition to saving some money with the three liter format a few other advantages are part of things as well. Eschewing glass makes them more environmentally friendly. Additionally if you don’t finish them up no worries as the bag in a box concept keeps the wine fresh for approximately 30 days. Make no mistake there are still plenty of anonymous boxed wines you’ll want to avoid, but now there are also some very solid go to choices. Today I’ll look at three that I recommend.
The Folonari 2009 Fresh Cask Pinot Noir was made from fruit sourced in the Veneto. This Italian wine is 100% Pinot Noir. After fermentation 80% of the wine was aged for roughly 6 months in stainless steel, the remaining 20% in French oak barriques. This Pinot is available in 750 ml bottles, 1.5 liter bottles and 3 Liter boxes. The 3 Liter Box has a suggested retail price of $19.99.
Chile’s Santa Carolina has a history that dates back more than 130 years. Like many producers from Chile they have several tiers of wines priced from budget friendly to premium. Santa Carolina has vineyards planted throughout Chile and are amongst the producers leading the charge of innovation. Today I’ll take a look at two of their current releases of Carménère.
Grenache is a varietal that in my opinion should be even more popular than it is. When it’s well made it can often pair with a wide array of foods. This engaging red is also often fun to drink on its own. In its homeland of Spain it’s known as Garnacha and is one of the most important red varietals. Today I’ll look at a widely available, budget priced offering from 
Rosé is one of the many reasons I look forward to warm weather. I’m glad to report that as a wine culture in this country we’ve gotten better in the last few years when it comes to embracing good, dry Rosé. Just about every wine making country has a Rosé tradition; this is particularly true in Europe. In Italy the tradition is Rosato and Napa Valley’s 
layered and fairly intense. Dark chocolate and hints of earth mark the velvety finish of this wine. Petite Petit has firm tannins that yield with some air. This is a big, bold wine that will work best paired with similar styled foods. At 85% Petite Sirah this wine could legally be labeled as such; however the Petit Verdot plays a pivotal role here at 15% adding such depth and dimension that the Petite Petit name is wholly appropriate and actually quite perfect.
The Zuccardi Family in Argentina has been making wine since 1963 and they have more than 2,800 acres under vine. They’re committed to sustainable farming practices and making natural wines. Their latest project is the Santa Julia + line. These are budget priced offerings that sell for around $10. Today I’ll look at two wines in this line.
Sauvignon Blanc is a varietal that adapts well to a large number of regions the world over. This grape is made in a host of enjoyable styles. Mendocino County is one of the regions that can under the right circumstances produce distinct Sauvignon Blanc. Today I’ll look at a value priced offering from 
